


Look Up

by galerian_ash



Category: Riptide (TV)
Genre: Christmas, Episode Related, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-25
Updated: 2017-12-25
Packaged: 2019-02-16 07:19:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,805
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13049217
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/galerian_ash/pseuds/galerian_ash
Summary: Nick discovers that some holiday traditions are quite nice, after all.





	Look Up

**Author's Note:**

  * For [tinx_r](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tinx_r/gifts).



The airport was filled with happy people. Men and women arriving from afar, warmly welcomed by their families.

It was something Ben Wilkenson would never get to experience again.

Nick lowered his head and tried to push it all down. Ben had gotten closure, and that was worth something. Not worth as much as a living, breathing son, standing next to him, but... _something_. He had to keep telling himself that. Soon enough he might even come to believe it, too.

"Hey, Nick!"

He looked up, gaze seeking out the owner of that voice. He could already feel a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth, and the cold sensation inside that had lingered ever since Wyoming started to melt away.

Cody gave him a little wave as their eyes met.

Nick hurried over to him, looking around as he did so. "Hi," he greeted. "Murray not with you?"

Cody shook his head. "No, he went back home for a few days. After everything that happened he wanted to spend some time with his family."

"Yeah? What about you, man?" Nick asked as he started walking towards the luggage claim. "I mean, aren't you gonna go see your family?"

Cody didn't reply, prompting Nick to glance back. Cody was looking at him with a strange expression, one he didn't have time to interpret before Cody marched ahead of him. "We should pick up your stuff before the claim area gets too packed," he called back.

Nick, too worn out to press the issue — but filing it away for later — followed without comment.

\----

He dozed during the ride to the pier. Cody didn't seem inclined to talk, which suited him just fine.

The California sun was bright in his eyes as he got out of the car and stretched. Cody came over to his side, grimacing softly. "Sore? I didn't want to wake you, you know, but it sure looked like your neck would be hurting from sleeping the way you did."

"Nah, I'm good." Nothing that some more sleep couldn't cure, in any case, and that was precisely what he had planned for the foreseeable future.

He looked down at the water and froze. "What the hell happened?" he asked, staring at the Riptide.

Cody's head snapped up, eyes quickly darting around as his shoulders squared, clearly seeking enemies.

"No, buddy," Nick said, reaching out to pat his back. "I mean the Riptide. All the holiday decorations..." The boat was completely bare; looking the way it usually did.

"Oh, that," Cody mumbled, body relaxing slightly. "I took them down when Murray left."

"Why?"

Cody shrugged. "You said it bummed you out. And that was _before_ all of this, so I kinda figured you didn't need that, too, weighing on you."

The urge to pull Cody in for a tight hug was almost overwhelming. But — as most of his urges regarding Cody — it was probably a bad idea. Before he could decide one way or the other, Cody grabbed his bag and headed for the boat.

Nick remained where he was for a moment longer, adding the moment to his mental list of missed chances, before following.

"I'll just toss the bag in the closet for now," Cody said as he went for the stateroom. "The airplane food probably left you hungry, so go ahead and raid the fridge."

Yeah, he could eat. And having a decent meal before going to sleep was probably a good idea. He walked down to the galley, remembering the last time he'd been there, before leaving for Wyoming. He still wasn't in the mood for soup, but maybe he could talk Cody into making him a sandwich or something.

Grinning, he opened the fridge. He'd expected to find it relatively bare, as per their usual state of affairs, except maybe with some typical holiday food. Instead he found it filled with all kinds of things. Mainly pizza and various junk food, but also a big bowl of pasta salad that looked utterly delicious. Not a single thing in there had anything to do with Christmas.

Cody came down the stairs and joined him. "I stocked up," he said. "That way we can just stay in and take it easy, you know?"

And that way Nick could avoid having to go out and be reminded of the time of year. Oh, he didn't say that straight out, of course, but Nick got it, alright.

This time he didn't resist. He reached out and yanked Cody close. The cramped galley wasn't the best place for a hug, technically, but whatever.

Cody returned the embrace, though he looked a bit bewildered when they pulled apart. "Uh, thanks...?" he ventured.

Nick shook his head. "I'm the one who should say thanks, big guy. I appreciate it."

"It's not a big deal," Cody said, turning to the fridge. He sounded embarrassed. "So, what are you in the mood for?"

"The pasta salad looks really good."

Cody lit up. "Yeah? I actually picked up some bread for it, at the bakery, just before driving out to the airport."

"Sounds perfect."

They fell into sync, the way they always did, as they quickly got to work setting the table. The galley didn't feel cramped anymore, and Nick couldn't help smiling.

He was about to sit down when something caught his eye. There was a sprig of mistletoe hanging over the table, red ribbon and everything.

"Hey," he said, pointing it out to Cody.

Cody looked up and made a face. "Never even noticed that," he muttered. "I bet Murray was hoping to lure some Contessa girl down here."

He reached up to pull it down, but Nick stopped him with a hand to his arm. "Leave it," he said.

Cody's eyes met his, and the world seemed to come to a rather abrupt halt. It wouldn't require much to close the distance between them; to complete the cliché of two people caught under a mistletoe.

He wondered if Cody was thinking the same thing. If only he knew, but when it came to this Cody was impossible to read. Not that that was anything new; Nick had been trying to figure out his feelings for what felt like ages now — if he'd had even the slightest inkling that Cody would react favorably, he would've gone for it.

But he didn't, and so he let go of Cody's arm and sat down.

Cody remained standing for a few moments longer, before letting out a low chuckle. "Ah, I see. Planning on stealing Murray's plan for yourself, huh?"

Nick forced a smile. "Something like that."

The pasta salad, that had looked so good, now tasted like ash.

\----

"Can't sleep?"

Nick blinked. He'd kept as still and silent as he could, but apparently Cody had been able to tell anyway. "Sorry," he mumbled, turning over to face Cody, "did I wake you?"

"Yeah," Cody replied, snorting, "you were thinking too damn loud."

He wished it was less dark so that he could see Cody's face. Maybe he was smiling.

"If you want to talk about it," Cody continued, "I'm listening."

"I know, buddy. I know."

"Okay." He wouldn't push it, Nick knew that. It was something he was grateful for, as was he for the knowledge that Cody would be willing to listen whenever Nick was ready.

There was one thing he wanted to discuss now, however. "Hey," he said, "you never did answer me."

Cody yawned. "Huh?"

"What we were talking about at the airport. Shouldn't you visit your family?"

Cody was silent for so long that Nick almost thought he'd fallen asleep. Finally he let out a heavy sigh and shifted on the bunk. "Remember when you got the call about escorting Ricky's body? They said they were asking you because you were the only guy in the unit without a family. I wanted to say this, then. But I never did."

Nick frowned. "Say what?"

"I'm not going anywhere because I already _am_ with my family. I'm with you, Nick. And for what it's worth, you _do_ have a family. Right here, lying next to you."

Oh. Nick's eyes were suddenly stinging, and he had to swallow a few times to get rid of the lump in his throat. Words lost to him, he instead reached out across the space between their bunks. Cody extended his arm too, grasping Nick's hand in a firm grip.

\----

Nick woke the next morning with a sense of determination. It was time to take the plunge.

He spent a few minutes in the bathroom, but that was all the preparation he had time for. He couldn't afford to lose his nerve; the quicker he acted, the better.

Cody was in the galley. Nick could hear him whistling and humming Christmas tunes, and for once the sound made him smile.

He walked down the stairs, ignoring the way his stomach growled upon seeing the bacon and eggs that Cody was currently plating up.

"Merry Christmas," Nick said.

Cody looked surprised, but it quickly gave way to a bright smile. "Merry Christmas, Nick."

Nick grimaced and rubbed the back of his neck. "Hey, look, I haven't gotten you anything. I thought maybe I could find something in Wyoming, but there was never any time, and-"

Cody shook his head. "Don't apologize! I don't have anything for you either, you know."

Grinning, Nick tilted his head. "That's too bad. I was looking forward to getting something off the Riptide — there was one thing in particular that I wanted."

Cody rolled his eyes at the jibe. "And what's that?"

Forgoing words, Nick simply pointed to the mistletoe.

"The mistletoe? That's what you want?"

Nick shook his head. "You," he said.

"Huh?"

The kiss didn't exactly live up to his hopes. Hell, if it could even be called a kiss — it was more him moving to press their lips together while Cody just stood there, stiff and unmoving.

He fell back, heart starting to race. "Or maybe that's a gift you're not willing to give?" He tried to fire off a confident smile, but even he could tell it wavered.

"Well, I don't know..."

"Oh. I — shit, I'm sorry. Just forget it, okay, I didn't mean-"

"...It just doesn't feel like a gift when I want it myself," Cody finished.

Nick stared. "You ass," he finally managed to say.

Cody grinned. " _I'm_ the ass? Buddy, you've never given me any sign that you wanted this. I've been wishing for years that you would."

Well, how about that. Nick shook his head, laughing softly. "The same goes for me. I guess we're both idiots."

Humming in agreement, Cody moved in closer again. "Now then," he murmured, reaching up to gently flick the mistletoe, "how about we give it another try?"

This time, the kiss didn't disappoint.


End file.
